Chocolate fondant
December 23, 2014 • Category: Dessert
Foodies will be able to relate to the following statement: I remember the exact time and place I first tasted a fondant. It was in Paris, about twenty years ago, and my brother had taken us all to a restaurant not far from where he lived. Nothing fancy, kind of a family eatery chain. It was called a fondant then, and now it is called a mi-cuit au chocolat (half-baked chocolate flavor) When I got back to the US and over subsequent years, the fondant made its debut on the American food scene and carved a niche that is here to stay, for the next few centuries at least.
Here is the classic fondant recipe. It will take about ten minutes to prepare, in a bowl. The batter is poured into the molds, and frozen solid. When ready to serve, heat the oven well and insert for just a few minutes. C’est tout!
INGREDIENTS: 12 small fondants (using muffin tins)
5 1/2 oz dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa solids), best quality
14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 stick+2tbsps)+more to coat molds
1/3 cup granulated sugar (more for coating the molds)
1/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 large eggs+3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon brandy (optional) or vanilla or other flavoring
1. Break the chocolate into chunks and melt very gently in the microwave or in a double-boiler. Watch it carefully so as not to heat it too much.Remove from the heat and add the butter, cut into chunks, and the brandy and stir to combine. Add the sugar and stir. Add the eggs and stir with a whisk to combine well. Add the flour and salt and stir till mixed-in.
2. Butter the molds with a brush and sprinkle with sugar. Pour the batter (or use a tablespoon) until 3/4 full. Freeze until rock solid, for a few hours or so.
When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400F. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes. Watch them carefully, as ovens are calibrated differently and you do not want to overcook them. Serve the fondant warm with some vanilla ice-cream or some other flavor ice-cream or fresh berries.
Comments
13 Comments • Comments Feed
Rosa says:
Absolutely irresistible!
Happy Holidays.
Cheers,
Rosa
On December 23, 2014 at 4:51 pm
lara says:
Love this recipe so simple and tasty .i tried your kichk flatbread yesterday . it’s divine ! Reminded me of my grandma so i called her to say that i was having some kichk :))you must be very busy preparing for Christmas.your kitchen must be as messy as mine ^^ merry Christmas 🙂
On December 23, 2014 at 5:13 pm
Joumana says:
@lara: Merry Christmas to you too! actually this year my brother is taking care of all the cooking, I think he is probably ordering from a caterer! 🙂
@Rosa: Thanks so much and likewise!
@Susan: Thank you and likewise! i am sure you created something worth being showcased on Glamour magazine, Susan! 🙂
@Sylva: Thank you so much, and you are right, Valentine too! Heck, personally I think every day has a special reason to make or eat chocolate confections. It helps me with my mood too, most importantly! 🙂
@humble_pie: Honestly, I don’t know but I suspect it has something to do with the gooey inside. If it is frozen, then baked in a very hot oven when still frozen, the outer layer will cook and get a crunchy texture and the inside will merely thaw out thus keeping it like a batter, albeit warm. I am not a food scientist but this is my hunch. You are right, everything in the kitchen especially in the baking arts has a scientific or chemistry component.
@Krista: A Swedish cookbook? I guess that definitely qualifies you as a foodie! 🙂
On December 23, 2014 at 7:11 pm
lara says:
oh cool !! lucky you 🙂 enjoy the holidays 🙂
On December 23, 2014 at 8:17 pm
Susan says:
You know I’m a sucker for chocolate treats 🙂 Your fondants look divine! The very best to you and your family this holiday season, Joumana!
On December 23, 2014 at 8:39 pm
Sylva T. says:
This is an Impressive dessert perfect for Xamas and Valentine s day.
I do love your recipes, <3 Joumana dearest !
On December 24, 2014 at 3:53 am
humble_pie says:
yes they look divinely mouthwatering. Must try!
also love the detail about the brother ordering Xmas feasts from the caterer. Ah, the shoemaker’s children …
but may i ask a question about the fondants. What does freezing them in the raw state accomplish?
if freezing does wonderful things to chocolate-butter-eggs-flour combos (pretty standard ingredients) wouldn’t it be better to pre-freeze most chocolate brownie & cake recipes?
i imagine it’s because i’m a chocoholic that i can’t wait to taste a new chocolate confection reasonably soon after preparation. Sometimes even the baking time is painful! waiting hours for the rock solid freeze-up would kill!
bonne fête à tous
On December 25, 2014 at 4:27 am
Krista says:
I remember my first time as well. They were made by my brother from a Swedish cookbook. We all swooned with utter delight. 🙂
On December 25, 2014 at 10:42 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-j3vjpuv3c says:
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On December 25, 2014 at 12:16 pm
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says:
One of my all-time favorite desserts!
On December 27, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Ivy says:
Love chocolate fondant and so does my daughter. It’s one of a few things she loves making.
Happy New Year Joumana.
On December 30, 2014 at 5:43 am
Henna says:
I tried this recipe yesterday and it came out so good. Thank you for the perfect recipe 🙂
On September 5, 2016 at 1:35 pm
Henna says:
I tried this recipe yesterday and it came out so good. Thank you for the perfect recipe 🙂 I would love to try other recipes of yours.
On September 5, 2016 at 2:01 pm